Vol.

05-00

Osaka Boiler Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Oil contamination in marine boiler

【Subject model: Aux. Boiler, Composite Boiler】

If oily matter get into boiler, it will adhere on the heating surface, causing overheat
accident regardless of that quantity. Furthermore, boiler water is easily saponified
because it is alkaline. Then it results in accident called CARRY-OVER caused by foaming
of boiler water.

Pictures: Oil contamination into water side of boiler

Oily matter get into boiler from damaged heating coils of fuel oil heaters, lubricating
oil heaters, fuel oil tanks or waste oil tanks. When oily matter is detected in boiler,
it is important to specify the place where oil leaks, and repair it.
If the detection of oily matter is early enough or it is not yet carbonized, the following
measures could help to solve the troubles.

1. Stop burner immediately if oily matter is detected in boiler, regardless of that

quantity.
2. Discharge water from boiler and cascade tank completely, then wash their inside with
fresh water thoroughly.
3. If no abnormality is checked in boiler and cascade tank by visual inspection, close
manholes of boiler and inspection holes of cascade tank.
4. Feed water to boiler up to normal water level. Put appropriate boiler compound in,
and inspect leakage under ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. Check that

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 boiler body, valves and others do not have any leak, then restart boiler operation.
5. Normal pH value is controlled at 10.5-11.5 when using distilled water, but increase
boiler compound quantity and maintain pH11.5-11.8. Operate 7 or 10 day periods until
the water quality test shows good result. To discharge residual oil and saponified
oil from boiler, perform surface blow-off and bottom blow-off once per day without
fail, and double its quantity than the normal. Also sludge dispersant is recommended
to use.

However, the above is measures when oily matter is detected relatively early or oily matter
is not yet carbonized. Some troubles may not be solved by the above measures.
In that case, remove carbonized oily matter by hand work as much as possible.
Then, remove the remained oil in boiler by executing circulation cleaning with chemical.
If remain untouched, boiler steel plate is overheated, causing serious accident such as
deformation, collapse and crack.
As an example, if oily matter get into boiler or scale adheres onto heating surface under
the following condition, the average metal temperature rises significantly as shown in
table 1.

Burning flue gas temperature tg = 1,050 deg.C

Convection/Radiative heat-transfer coefficient in burning flue gas αg = 130 W/m2.K
Boiler water temperature tw = 165 deg.C
Boiling heat-transfer coefficient in water side αw = 9,300 W/m2.K
Thickness of boiler steel plate δ = 22 mm
Thermal conductivity in boiler steel plate λs = 46 W/m.K

Table 1. Comparison of average metal temperature

Average metal temperature
Thermal conductivity Thickness
Fouling in fouling(W/m.K) of fouling(mm)
of boiler steel plate
(deg.C)
Clean condition − 0 202
Scale 1 0.5 250
Oil 0.1 0.5 521

Pictures: Serious accident in boiler due to oil contamination

Deform of morrison furnace Crack in tube plate of smoke tube boiler

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As shown in above pictures, even if oily matter into boiler water is small quantity, it
leads to serious accident because boiler steel plate is overheated due to low thermal
conductivity in oil.
So, regular observation is very important. And if oil contamination into boiler is
detected, please take appropriate action immediately.

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